Announcing a very special conjunction taking place this summer: the American Association of Variable Star Observers and six of our sister astronomical organizations - the Astronomical League (AL), the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO), the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), the Eastbay Astronomical Society (EAS), the Astronomical Association of Northern California (AANC), and the San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) – meeting together in northern California!

The AAVSO's 93rd Spring Meeting will be held July 20-24, 2004, at the Doubletree Hotel in Berkeley, California. This year the AAVSO Spring Meeting is part of a larger astronomical gathering – AstroCon 2004. In addition to the AAVSO Membership Meeting, Scientific Paper Sessions, and Awards Presentation (at the AstroCon 2004 Closing Banquet), you will have the opportunity to participate in a wider range of activities and sessions organized by some of the other participating organizations. At this unique gathering of astronomers you’ll be able to:

• Meet your amateur and professional colleagues from all over the country and abroad
• Attend ALPO member sessions open to all attendees
• Hear from a broad range of exciting invited speakers including: David Levy,
• Dr. Geoff Marcy, and astronaut Alan Bean (others TBA)
• Learn public outreach tips at the ASP’s outreach workshop
• Visit vendor tables for some of the latest and greatest astronomy products

Other AstroCon 2004 events include:

• An evening visit to world-famous Lick Observatory to see the historic 36-inch Clark refractor and the 120-inch Shane reflector and observe
• An evening tour of Oakland’s new Chabot Space & Science Center, including observing with their historic 8-inch Clark and 20-inch Brashear refractors and new 36-inch Cassegrain, plus a planetarium show and a look a their new Dragon Skies exhibit on ancient Chinese astronomy
• Day field trips to Muir Woods (one of the few remaining groves of virgin coastal redwoods) and Wine Country
• The AstroCon2004 Closing Banquet and Awards Ceremony with guest speaker astronaut Alan Bean on board the USS Hornet - the aircraft carrier that recovered the Apollo 11 astronauts 35 years earlier to the day!

Don’t miss your chance to represent the AAVSO at this exciting event and participate in this one of a kind gathering of astronomical associations!

Visit the AstroCon 2004 web site (www.astrocon2004.org) to view a detailed conference schedule, reserve your hotel room, and register for the meeting. (You may also call 1-415-337-1100 x 109 to request printed materials.)

Submit your paper abstract for the AAVSO Scientific Paper Sessions. (You may also call 1-888-802-7827 to request a printed copy of the paper submission form.)

We hope to see you in July!